Revival
of a Great Prophet-3
The Seraphs’ challenge to the
Prophet
As the events at the Throne Room of the Lord emerges and unfolds, we are
wonderstruck at fascinating beings called the Seraphim. They are innumerable,
but their overwhelming number would not let them lose their identity. They are a distinct creation of God to serve Him, worship Him and do His perfect will. They
presented a great challenge as a role model in serving the Lord for the prophet
about his willingness and commitment to serving, obeying, worshipping and
accomplishing the Lord’s perfect will. The very sight of the seraphs and their
service to the Lord was posing a great example to Isaiah.
By exposing Isaiah to the way these created beings (Seraphs) worship and
serve the Lord, a challenge is posed for Isaiah to consider and re-examine his
willingness to serve and commit himself to the cause of the Lord with all that
he has for the service of the Lord. This is greatly pertinent for the
present-day believers because whereas the Lord Jesus didn’t die for these
seraphs, He died for the NT believers. So they ought to have a greater zeal to
committing and serving the Lord. These seraphs and their zeal is a great
embarrassment to the modern believers considering their shallow commitment to
their Saviour and Lord. We call Him “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 7:21), but often do
what we want with our lives. Our worship, giving, service, and commitment are
often half-hearted and bound by jealousy or competition and for popularity,
prestige, prominence, position, and possessions. So the events at the Throne
Room were meant to spoke to Isaiah through the seraphs and its account in
Isaiah Six is foreordained to speak to us in the same manner. He expects us to
respond to these events befitting to those who live in the dispensation of
grace.
Living Sacrifices
The seraphs are portrayed as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). They are
the “burning beings” who keep burning for their Lord. When they burn, they show
light to the dark world and shed warmth to the cold hearts of people around.
Isaiah as the servant of the Lord is created as a living light (Matthew 5:13)
and so he is expected to burn and shine for the Lord and for the dark world
that is around him. The seraphs now challenge the prophet to burn for the Lord
so that those around will see the glory of the Lord through the light that he is
expected to produce by burning for Him. Isaiah is reminded of the primary
purpose for which he is placed among the disobedient and worldly people of the
nation of Israel. This encounter of the burning seraphs thus poses a great
challenge for Isaiah and for us to be willing to burn for Jesus like Jim Eliot,
Graham Steins and John Alan Chou in our daily lives.
All from Him and all for Him
Isaiah watches these seraphs were using all that they have in the
service of the Lord. Their wings are for flying, covering and showing respect
to the Lord. Their mouths are to shout out the holiness and greatness of the
Lord. They fly in a hurry because they have so much to do to shed abroad the
greatness and glory of their Lord. They have a lot to do for the Lord including
helping to cleanse even prophets like Isaiah. All of these are ministries and
responsibilities given to them by the Lord. And they are demonstrating their
willing and voluntary service and commitment for the service and for the glory
of the Lord. Far more than obeying any commandment to serving the Lord or
expressing gratitude to Him for giving them everything, these seraphs worshiped
Him for who He is. It comes from the intimacy they have with Him and the love
and respect they want to show to Him because of His greatness. They gave Him back
all that He gave them so that they will be completely His to do whatever He wants
to accomplish in their lives. They gave
Him all their talents, treasures and time. They are fully aware of the fact
that all of these were given to them out of His benevolence and love towards
them and they ought to reciprocate it to Him out of their love and respect to
Him. In the light of the attitude and surrender the seraphs demonstrated, Isaiah
is now compelled to re-examine his worship, commitment, and love for the Lord. If
Isaiah had to re-examine and rededicate himself to his Lord, how much more should
we do for the Lord is a puzzling question before every New Testament believer!
The Four and the Two Wings
It is interesting that the seraphs have six wings. Why wings and why so
many wings is an intriguing question. Wings are given so that they can move
swiftly in their service. The six wings must have so much responsibilities and
opportunities embodied in them. It certainly indicates the need for using
additional cover to be part of true worship even as they move around. It seems
the seraphs are desperate and passionate to serve the Lord as fast as possible.
They have no time to waste and no opportunity to lose as they serve the Lord
because their Lord deserves so much more than what is possible to humanly anticipate.
The time, treasure and talents at their disposal could all be fully and far
greatly used for the service of the Lord as they have these six wings. Do we
wish we had more legs to move, more hands to work with and more mouths to
declare the praise and glory of the Lord?
Out of the six wings, the seraphs used two for covering their feet and
two for covering their eyes or faces showing great reverence to the Lord by
being extraordinarily humble and respectful in their approach to worship and
service for the Lord. Such efforts at worship come from their attitude because
when they see Him, they discount themselves totally and respect Him to the
utmost. For them, worship of the highest form is imperative as they see the
Great Lord and offer Him Great service and Worship. Will the Lord find these
qualities in us today?
Seraphim and their challenge in
worship
It is interesting to note that the Seraphs used all their wings in the
service of the Lord and none for their personal agenda. They used all their
wings for the Lord and for His glory. They had a holy detachment with all that
they had and they were willing to forsake all for Him. It was like Mary using even
the last drop of the ointment for the Lord. It was like the pearl merchant who
sold all that he had in order to purchase the most precious pearl that he could
ever find (Matthew 13: ). They found the greatest satisfaction as they used all
they had for their Lord and still wanting to give it all to Him through the
fastest and loudest expressions of their commitment to Him. As the prophet
watches the scenario, it speaks and challenges him to the utmost to give all
that he has to the Lord at the fastest pace. How about the response of the
modern day prophets, preachers and priests to the glory of the Lord?
Covering the Face
In our vernacular, we often mention ‘angelic face’ of a person for
comparative purpose. It is considered as the ultimate in beauty. These seraphs
definitely have the most beautiful faces. But as they are broken and burning
beings, these seraphs do not consider their beautiful faces worthy to be
exhibited in the presence of the Lord of Glory. They cover their personal glory
and achievement and keep it under check so that the glory of the glorious One
may be fully exhibited. Their motto is that no one ought to show off anything
that they have in them no matter how excellent these might be. They turn off
all their personal lights with its glitter in the presence of the Shekinah Glory.
They wanted all that they have to be hidden under their own wings so that no
one would or could see even a glimpse of it. They show that any effort at exhibiting
our personal glory might be considered competition to the glory of the Lord
and will allow it all to be burned off as they burn for the Lord. All their
personal glory is on the altar as a living sacrifice. They are challenging the ‘ME-MYSELF-I’
culture of contemporary Christianity. They show that they do not have any name,
titles or exhibits of their own as they stand in the presence of the Lord and
minister unto His name. This scene is a serious reprimand to the prophet Isaiah as
he goes into the presence of the Lord bearing his ministries and his experience
in the work of the Lord.
In essence, watching the seraphs covering their face preaches a great
sermon to the prophet. He realizes that he and all that he has can best be
considered worthless in the presence of the glory of the Lord. It thus preaches
a thunderous message to all of us who live in the era of grace to re-examine
our styles, moto, motives, approaches, and strategies in the ministry of the
Lord. (To continue)
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